As a yellow coupler used in color photographic materials, two-equivalent couplers having a substituted benzotriazolyl group in the coupling site are known (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,095,984, 4,477,563, and 5,213,958). As a method for synthesizing this yellow coupler, Scheme 1, as shown below, is known. That is, generally a .beta.-ketoester compound 1 is used as a key intermediate, to be reacted with an aniline compound, to obtain a .beta.-ketoanilide compound 2, which is then halogenated (to obtain 3), followed by a substitution reaction (to obtain 4). ##STR2##
wherein R.sup.3 represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a heterocyclic residue, Ar represents an aryl group, X represents a halogen atom, and R.sup.4 represents a substituent substitutable on the benzene ring.
However, for example, this method requires a high temperature in the step for converting a .beta.-ketoester compound to a .beta.-ketoanilide compound; partially reducing dehalogenation takes place in the step for introducing a coupling split-off group (a coupling releasing group); and it is required to use the coupling split-off group in excess. Therefore, it has been attempted to improve this method (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,851), but a satisfactory method has not yet been developed.